Astros apply analytics to amateur draft, spread out scouts

ANAHEIM, Calif.- Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow is expected to make the final decision. If the second-year GM calls the shot, the success or failure of the club’s second consecutive No. 1 overall pick in the MLB amateur draft could define the outcome of the Astros’ organizational rebuild.

But even if Luhnow does have ultimate veto power Thursday, the process of choosing the right athlete for the top pick has been more than a year in the making. And just like major changes made to the Astros’ business operations since owner Jim Crane purchased the club in 2011 are affecting the organization’s financial standing and community presence, alterations to the club’s scouting and player-evaluation departments have affected how the franchise narrowed down hundreds of top prospects into a premier group of talent led by Oklahoma righthander Jonathan Gray, Stanford righty Mark Appel, San Diego third baseman Kris Bryant and North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran.

“We brought in several highly qualified, smart, hungry baseball men. Some of them are new to scouting; some of them aren’t. Some of them are from player development backgrounds; some of them are from coaching backgrounds. … On top of restructuring the geographical layout of the department, we’ve made for a more efficiently running scouting department,” said Mike Elias, Astros director …